Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Elena
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River Village.
I've completed Field 1,
and we're in the middle of clearing Field 2.
The newly arrived hundred households of slaves are settling into life here.
Most of them have been put to work clearing Field 2, while some are helping out on Field 1.
By the way, in their spare time, I've also started basic military training.
Hans is in charge of the training.
The trading mission I assigned to Russell has also wrapped up.
He sold the grain bought on credit to Frontier Territory and received monster byproducts in exchange.
Then he took those back to the continent.
He paid off the debt with the money from selling the monster byproducts and used the remainder to buy livestock.
That livestock is now roaming Field 1.
Specifically, the sections growing clover and ryegrass.
While taking a break and looking around,
my mana recovered.
I knelt on the ground
and assumed a reverent posture.
'Earth Restoration.'
Mana drained from my entire body.
I kept using the skill until my mana hit rock bottom.
"Oh! Yes!"
When a skill levels up, its efficiency improves.
I figured it could now purify contamination over a much wider area.
As I writhed in joy,
someone called out to me.
"Heir! Heir Elwin!"
"What's going on?"
"A letter has arrived for you, Heir!"
Who would send me a letter?
"Who from?"
"From Elena-nim."
"Elena!?"
I bolted out toward Field 2.
And one other person came running too.
"Grandfather!?"
"My granddaughter sent a letter?"
"Grandfather, it came to me."
"Does it matter who it's to? What matters is who sent it!"
I unfolded the letter.
Grandfather read over my shoulder.
[...I heard that Alensia sister is at a disadvantage in the recent ducal succession competition. Is there anything you can do, brother? Alensia sister always helped me whenever I was in trouble. I want to help her too...]
"Hmm..."
Smack! Smack!
"Ow!"
"What are you mulling over!? Of course you have to help!"
"Well, it's just..."
Thwack! Thwack!
The smacks hurt, but this time the shock was even greater.
"Hmph! Sometimes I wonder whose blood you have in you. Of course you help your fiancée. Besides, didn't Alensia support us when we were making the fields?"
I had learned the Earth Restoration skill,
and when we were clearing the fields in River Village,
we were short on funds.
So it was hard to buy slaves.
That's when Alensia gave us the money to buy slaves.
Smack! Smack!
"You must help her, no question. Got it?"
.
.
The next day,
and the day after that,
I used Earth Restoration on Field 2.
Every time, Grandfather glared at me with scary eyes.
I moved to another spot and knelt.
I activated the skill and sank into thought.
'What should I do.'
There was plenty of reason to help, at least.
Not as her fiancé, but as repayment for the help when we started farming.
'Alensia vs. Benia'
Since I backed out, relations with the Frontier family have grown distant too.
Is there a faction on Monster Island strong enough to replace the Frontier Viscount family?
Nothing came to mind easily.
And I couldn't bring in outside forces.
That would only breed resentment and push them further from the ducal succession.
'I need to find something within the island. A force to stand in for the Frontier Viscount family.'
The agonizing stretched on, until one group came to mind.
'Gray Mage Tower.'
At Elena's coming-of-age ceremony, the Vice Mage Tower Lord had said
they needed diverse foods for the mages' welfare.
And a figure like the Vice Mage Tower Lord had come in person.
That showed how desperate they were.
'But can I really sway the Gray Mage Tower with food?'
I shook my head.
It'd be tough.
'No. Do I even need to worry that far?'
I just need to open the channel between Alensia and the Gray Mage Tower.
That alone should be sufficient repayment.
'Alensia-nim can handle the rest.'
I stood up.
"Grandfather! I'm heading to the Vampire Duke's Territory! Please take care of things here!"
"Hahaha!! That's the blood of Campbell!! Don't worry, go on!!"
Vampire Duke's Territory.
Alensia's room.
I'd entered it after a long time.
Her room.
"Why are you here?"
Her usual expressionless face.
But beneath it, a hint of anger.
'From not taking her side at the coming-of-age ceremony?'
"I've come to repay Lady Alensia."
"Repay me? You, who can't even use magic?"
Cold. Definitely cold.
She was surely angry about that day.
"Ahem. Thank you for helping when we started farming. And for aiding Elena's coming-of-age ceremony too."
"Did you come all this way just to say that? You could've sent a letter. What a waste of effort."
Alensia's harsh words irked me a bit.
I used to be immune to them before,
but being apart must have lowered my resistance.
"I heard you're falling behind Lady Benia lately."
"..."
Alensia glared at me.
I didn't avert my gaze.
We stared into each other's eyes in silence.
The staring contest lasted until maid Marie entered.
Marie set the tea on the table and covered her mouth with both hands.
"Anyone seeing you two would think you're in love. Holding eye contact that long."
At Marie's words, Alensia looked away first,
and I relaxed my eyes too.
"So if I'm at a disadvantage, you can help? Not that I actually am, of course."
"I have one idea."
I told her about my conversation with the Vice Mage Tower Lord at the coming-of-age ceremony
and explained my plan to help Alensia.
"So. You're going to supply livestock to the Gray Mage Tower?"
"Yes. I'll pray to the Goddess of Earth, so please prepare the rest, Lady Alensia."
The "rest" was everything.
Acquire land, seeds, workers—all on her.
My job was one thing: Earth Restoration.
"We'll split the profits 50-50. In return, you can manage the farm however you like, Lady Alensia."
"However I like... You mean supply livestock to the Gray Mage Tower in my name?"
Alensia leaned deep back into her chair.
She crossed her legs.
"Not a bad idea. You should've come up with something like this when you were around..."
Alensia's expression brightened.
Though others probably wouldn't notice the change.
"Let's start right away."
.
.
Alensia's execution was impressive.
The next day, she bought a plain near the Gray Mage Tower,
and brought seeds to plant and workers to tend it.
"Now what?"
"Divide the land into four sections. Each section..."
I explained the Norfolk Four-Course Rotation.
"This way, two sections will grow grains, and the other two will grow plants to feed livestock."
"What if we plant clover and ryegrass in all four?"
An unexpected question.
Something even I didn't know. What happens if you plant only clover everywhere.
"We rotate crops to restore soil fertility and prevent pests and diseases."
"Go on."
"Planting only clover makes it hard to prevent pests and diseases."
"Why is that?"
As far as I knew, it was because pathogens linger in the soil.
But would "pathogens" make sense? Even on Earth, bacteria weren't discovered until the microscope.
"The essence of disease lingers in the soil for a time. Fortunately, the disease essence affecting clover doesn't impact other crops. So rotating them reduces the chance of crops getting sick."
"Hmm, fine. We'll do it your way."
Lucky break.
I'd bluffed my way through a question I didn't know the answer to.
From that day on, I knelt in the field every day and used Earth Restoration.
Spending every moment there except sleeping.
The Earth Restoration skill reached level 3, speeding things up.
Gradually, areas with zero contamination expanded,
and we began planting seeds one by one.
"It's finally done!"
"Done?"
"Crops grown on this land are now edible."
"Forever?"
"Not quite. I'll need to come periodically to pray to the Goddess of Earth. As you know, demonic energy keeps flowing from the north."
"That's a shame. Well, good work anyway."
I bowed to Alensia.
Finally, I could return to River Village.
By now, Field 2 was probably nearly done, so I needed to hurry.
They wouldn't be able to plant because of the demonic energy.
"Wait. Where are you going?"
"Work's done, so back home."
"Hold on. Come with me to the Gray Mage Tower."
"Me?"
"Yes, you."
Gray Mage Tower.
Founded by the inaugural Vampire Duke, a 9th Circle Archmage.
It's not just a tower.
A tall central tower,
surrounded by vast lands.
Mages mostly stay in the tower,
while students and staff live on the surrounding grounds.
I entered the tower with Alensia.
We rode a magic-operated elevator
to the upper floors,
and arrived at the Vice Mage Tower Lord's room.
"Lady Alensia, Lord Elwin, welcome."
Unlike at the coming-of-age ceremony, the Vice Mage Tower Lord looked troubled.
Probably because I was with Alensia.
We sat,
and Alensia took the lead in speaking.
She calmly secured what she wanted.
It was only natural, in a way.
She had what the tower needed.
Leaving the Vice Mage Tower Lord's room,
I cautiously asked,
"Is this enough?"
"This is a good start. Build more trust, then move to the next phase."
Alensia's expression looked much more at ease.
The elevator reached the first floor, and we exited the tower.
"Lady Alensia, I'll go see my sister before I leave."
"Do that. Then straight back to River Village?"
"Yes, I've got work there too."
"You... did well this time. Elwin."